Knowledge

Daria Live, episode two

Daria Live, episode II: Daria and Herbert on going global

Daria Live is a new series from World Fund. In each episode, Managing Partner Daria Saharova walks and talks with the people building and backing Europe's deep tech companies.

Episode two picks up where episode one left off, in Manhattan on the day IQM Quantum Computers rang the closing bell at Nasdaq MarketSite. Daria and Herbert Mangesius, founding partner at Vsquared Ventures, turn from IQM's listing to the companies coming next, starting with VÆRIDION, the electric regional aviation company that both funds back. Its first aircraft, Daria, is set to fly next year.

From there, the conversation turns to the US. Archer and Joby have shown that American public markets will back first movers in new aviation technology, and IQM's listing showed that retail investors understand the deep tech play. For Herbert, a European company with global ambition has to serve US customers too, and sovereignty comes from building the best product and partnering across the Western world, not from a premium for staying local.

In this episode:

  • VÆRIDION's first aircraft and the case for European electric aviation
  • Why global ambition for European deep tech has to include the US market
  • The sovereignty premium, and why building the best product will always trump it 
  • Munich, Oktoberfest and a young Albert Einstein

Watch episode two here.

Veronica Fresneau, World Fund

Communications Director

veronica@worldfund.vc

September 24, 2026

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Knowledge

Daria Live, episode two

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White Paper

Daria Live, episode II: Daria and Herbert on going global

Daria Live is a new series from World Fund. In each episode, Managing Partner Daria Saharova walks and talks with the people building and backing Europe's deep tech companies.

Episode two picks up where episode one left off, in Manhattan on the day IQM Quantum Computers rang the closing bell at Nasdaq MarketSite. Daria and Herbert Mangesius, founding partner at Vsquared Ventures, turn from IQM's listing to the companies coming next, starting with VÆRIDION, the electric regional aviation company that both funds back. Its first aircraft, Daria, is set to fly next year.

From there, the conversation turns to the US. Archer and Joby have shown that American public markets will back first movers in new aviation technology, and IQM's listing showed that retail investors understand the deep tech play. For Herbert, a European company with global ambition has to serve US customers too, and sovereignty comes from building the best product and partnering across the Western world, not from a premium for staying local.

In this episode:

  • VÆRIDION's first aircraft and the case for European electric aviation
  • Why global ambition for European deep tech has to include the US market
  • The sovereignty premium, and why building the best product will always trump it 
  • Munich, Oktoberfest and a young Albert Einstein

Watch episode two here.

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